All the pieces of our drug puzzle appear to have not fallen in place. One of the characters, which is central to the drug story, has been conveniently kept out of the plot. All fingers of accusation have been pointed at the police, while the nightclubs are also facing the music. There's a massive swoop on drug peddlers across the coasts and arrests have been made even on suspicion. But the behind the scenes, the hand of politicians scheming the entire drug deals remains a mystery and is quietly swept under the rug.
The pressure on the police has been stepped up. BJP's very own Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said that government action to clean up the drug mess will not bear fruit, while stating that there is no adequate pressure on the police. TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had echoed similar views when he clearly put the onus on the police for facilitating flow of drugs.
However, our men in power have conveniently chosen to keep the political angle away from public glare. Goa's best kept secret cannot run on such a scale with only police involvement and without any political patronage. This throws up interesting questions. The House Committee report which was probing the hand of a politician and his son in the drug nexus never saw the light of the day. Why did the BJP government refuse to accept the report and why did BJP's own MLAs refuse to sign it is still a mystery. If Lobo did not sign the report because he found that the committee was political, why did he not raise his objection while the work on the report was in progress? Lobo was part of the committee formed by his own government and had conveniently attended all the hearings. Why did the government decide to junk the report because two of its members refused to sign? Lest we forget, Lobo was loud enough in the assembly then that he is ready to expose those politicians if the government asks him to do so. Why did the government drag its feet then?
The political connections always lay remained buried somewhere deep. In 2011 when Director General of Police Aditya Arya was planning to clean up the Russian drug mafia operating in Morjim, he was abruptly transferred within seven months with no reasons given and he was replaced by Kishan Kumar, former IGP. Well-connected political minds sensed the eminent danger and got him out of the State. Arya, who was earlier posted at the Rasthrapati Bhavan, was open about his challenges in Goa and had disclosed that President Pratibha Patil had instructed him to clean up beaches like Morjim and Mandrem and end anti-social activities.
Crack down on police and night clubs is only a temporary measure. If the BJP-government has to cleanse the State of the drug menace, nobody should be spared. The government should have the will to expose the political hands, even if it's their own men, behind these murky deals.
The pressure on the police has been stepped up. BJP's very own Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said that government action to clean up the drug mess will not bear fruit, while stating that there is no adequate pressure on the police. TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai had echoed similar views when he clearly put the onus on the police for facilitating flow of drugs.
However, our men in power have conveniently chosen to keep the political angle away from public glare. Goa's best kept secret cannot run on such a scale with only police involvement and without any political patronage. This throws up interesting questions. The House Committee report which was probing the hand of a politician and his son in the drug nexus never saw the light of the day. Why did the BJP government refuse to accept the report and why did BJP's own MLAs refuse to sign it is still a mystery. If Lobo did not sign the report because he found that the committee was political, why did he not raise his objection while the work on the report was in progress? Lobo was part of the committee formed by his own government and had conveniently attended all the hearings. Why did the government decide to junk the report because two of its members refused to sign? Lest we forget, Lobo was loud enough in the assembly then that he is ready to expose those politicians if the government asks him to do so. Why did the government drag its feet then?
The political connections always lay remained buried somewhere deep. In 2011 when Director General of Police Aditya Arya was planning to clean up the Russian drug mafia operating in Morjim, he was abruptly transferred within seven months with no reasons given and he was replaced by Kishan Kumar, former IGP. Well-connected political minds sensed the eminent danger and got him out of the State. Arya, who was earlier posted at the Rasthrapati Bhavan, was open about his challenges in Goa and had disclosed that President Pratibha Patil had instructed him to clean up beaches like Morjim and Mandrem and end anti-social activities.
Crack down on police and night clubs is only a temporary measure. If the BJP-government has to cleanse the State of the drug menace, nobody should be spared. The government should have the will to expose the political hands, even if it's their own men, behind these murky deals.
